The invention relates to a station for processing analytical samples in cuvettes in a device for chemical and biochemical analysis comprising a conveyor for conveying cuvettes to individual processing stations.
Automatic analytical devices usually operate on the following principle: samples for analysis or parts thereof are placed in cuvettes and then subjected to a number of processing steps such as addition (pipetting) of reagents, mixing, incubation etc., and the reactions are measured repeatedly during processing and/or once at the end of processing. The operating sequence is usually as follows: the cuvettes containing the samples for analysis are disposed in a fixed sequence on a conveying means and travel through various processing stations, or alternatively in "batch" processing, as conventional in the case of "centrifugal" analysers devices, all the cuvettes are disposed on a carrier (rotor) and are subjected substantially simultaneously to be the processing steps and measurements. Analytical systems operating on these principles give good service in large clinics and analytical centres where large numbers of samples have to processed.
In view, however, of the present variety of possible forms of analysis and the medical requirements, particularly in clinical chemistry, it has been found that the automatic analytical devices hitherto used conventionally for throughput of large quantities of samples are not sufficiently flexible for providing analytical profiles (full random access) specifically adapted to individual patients or medical conditions, while still being able to handle a large number of samples from patients.